Sparta and Athens Chapter 5 – Section 3

Sparta: The Military Ideal By the late 1100s B.C. (going back in time a bit), invaders from the north had conquered most of the Peloponnesus. The conquered people were called helots. The invaders conquered a village that would become their capital, Sparta. The geography may explain why Sparta and Athens developed very differently.

Spartan Society Sparta had three social groups: The equals, the metics and the helots. The equals were descended from the invaders. The half-citizens were free, paid taxes and served in the army.

The helots became the slaves of Spartan society. The helots greatly outnumbered the equals, and the Spartans had to use force in order to prevent rebellion. The Spartans systematically terrorized the helots, causing deep hatred.

Government in Sparta Two kings were at the head of the Spartan government. One managed foreign/military affairs and one stayed home to manage domestic affairs. A council of Elders was made up of 28 male citizens over the age of 60. The assembly was made up of all male citizens over the age of 30. The assembly also elected five ephors for one- year terms to make sure the kings stayed within the law and to control the education of young Spartans.

Life in Sparta’s Military Society Sparta controlled the lives of its citizens from birth to death. The goal was to make every adult male citizen a member of the military. A group of officials examined newborn babies and the weak were left to die.

At the age of 7, boys left home to live in military barracks. Military training formed the basis of their education, along with reading and writing. Spartan girls also had to be strong and healthy. Both boys and girls studied music to learn discipline and coordination.

Athens: The Birth of Democracy Many Athenians were sea traders. The city was built inland to protect from pirates.

Athenian Society Citizens formed the top group in Athenian society. Only Athenian men had full political rights. The next group was the half-citizens. They were non-citizens because they had been born outside Athens. Slaves stood at the bottom of society.

Early Government in Athens The Athenians elected war generals and nine archons, rulers who served one-year terms. An archon named Draco is believed to have created Athens’s first written code of law around 621 B.C.. Solon, who became an archon in 594 B.C., outlawed slavery for debt, and freed many debtors of their responsibilities. He also divided citizens into four groups, according to wealth.

Although Peisistratus ruled over Athens successfully as a tyrant, be clashed with nobles, and after his rule ended, the nobles returned to power.

Athenian Democracy In 507 B.C., Cleisthenes seized power in Athens and turned it into a democracy. He divided citizens into tribes and from there, formed the Council of Five Hundred. The council proposed laws, but the assembly had the final authority.

The form of democracy where one man equals one vote (as in Cleisthenes’s time) is called direct democracy. The type of democracy we have in the United States is called representative democracy.